C-shaped disk holder

ABSTRACT

A device for carrying and removably displaying small disk-like items has a substantially planar body with a front, a back, and a pair of arms made of a resilient material defining a C-shaped elastic opening, and an internal slot parallel to the front and back and accessible from the C-shaped elastic open end for receiving a disk-like item wherein a portion of the body partially covers the area adjacent a periphery of a disk-like item when fully inserted into said internal slot. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the C-shaped disk retainer forms a golfer&#39;s ball marker retainer at the handle end of a divot repair tool.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/783,655 filed Mar. 18, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to devices for carrying and displaying small disks like tokens and coins and, more particularly, this invention relates to a C-shaped clip for holding tokens or small disks such that they are readily located and accessed by the owner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are instances in which a person wishes to carry a coin, token, ball marker or some ornamental disk or good-luck charm in a holder that partially displays the disk, but also allows it to be readily removed for closer examination or use.

The prior art discloses various devices for holding small disks subject to occasional removal and replacement. U.S. Pat. No. 986,158 discloses a coin receptacle wearable on clothing items such as gloves. U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,300 discloses a pendant for holding tokens and other disks, which must be tilted in a certain way for removal. Some patents teach incorporation of a disk-retention device at the short end of a golfing divot-repair tool. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,052 discloses a C-shaped slotted addition to the handle end of a divot repair tool whereby a ball marker can be held in place, but only by gravity. If the tool gets inverted, the ball marker would most likely fall out. In a similar divot repair tool design, U.S. Pat. Application No. 2004/0248674 discloses use of a retention clip disposed within the internal slot of the body. In all the aforementioned examples, the devices appear to be made from metal or a hard plastic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device for carrying and removably displaying small disk-like items consisting of a substantially planar body with a front, a back and a pair of arms made of a resilient material defining a C-shaped elastic opening, and an internal slot parallel to the front and the back and accessible from the C-shaped elastic opening for receiving a disk-like item wherein a portion of the body partially covers an area adjacent the periphery of the disk-like item when fully inserted into said internal slot.

In another aspect of the invention, the C-shaped disk retainer is incorporated into the handle of a golfer's divot repair tool to add the capability of also holding a ball marker such that it can be readily removed and replaced, but does not fall out in any position.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a convenient and versatile device that can be adapted to holding and carrying a variety of disk-like objects, such as tokens, coins, or poker chips in such a way that the disk is partially visible while being retained, but also readily removable when that is desirable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that is capable of not only holding the token or similar item, but can be clipped to money or an item of clothing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a disk-holding means that can be incorporated into the handle end of a golfing divot-repair tool for retaining a ball marker.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device with a token partially inserted.

FIG. 2 displays a rectangular body version of the device also showing an important dimensional relationship.

FIG. 3 is a top end view showing the internal slot.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the attached money or belt clip.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a golfer's divot-repair and ball marker retention device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 wherein there is illustrated a device generally designated 10, for carrying and removably displaying small disk-like items, a semi-circular token holder 12 shown with a token 14 inserted into a slot 20 via the C-shaped opening 16. The arms 18 of the holder 12 are made of a resilient material that flexes to temporarily create a wider C-shaped opening 16 as the token 14 is pushed into the slot 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, a rectangular body disk holder 22 is viewed from the front with a disk 26 fully inserted into the slot 20. As the disk 26 is pressed into the slot 20, the flexible arms 18 move away from each other to permit entry of the disk 26. While not necessary, in this example, notches 24 in the lateral edges about 1 to 2 centimeters from the tips facilitate the expansion of the C-shaped opening 16. When at rest, the width 32 of the C-shaped opening is marginally less than twice the radius 30 of the disk 26, thereby keeping the disk 26 from sliding out.

FIG. 3 provides an end view of the C-shaped opening 16 of the token holder 12 showing the slot 20. A glob 36 of a resilient adhesive substance, such as silicone caulk, is adhered inside the outermost tips of the slot 20 at the ends of the arms 18.

FIG. 4 depicts another variation of the design showing a clip 40 attached to one surface of either the token holder 12 or the disk holder 22, and with the slot 20 also shown.

FIG. 5 illustrates the disk holder design fashioned into a golfer's combined divot-repair and ball-marker retention device 50. A pair of tapered prongs 52 have been added to the body extending in the opposite direction of the arms 18. A ball marker disk can be pushed into slot 20 via C-shaped opening 16. In this example, the arms 18 are encased in a resilient material to make the opening 16 expandable and yet preventing the ball marker from sliding out when inverted. The resilient retention means shown in FIG. 3 could also be employed in device 50.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A device for carrying and removably displaying small disk-like items comprising: a substantially planar body with a front, a back and a pair of arms made of a predetermined material defining a C-shaped elastic opening; and an internal slot substantially parallel with said front and said back and accessible from said C-shaped elastic opening for receiving one of said disk-like items wherein a portion of said body partially covers an area adjacent a periphery of said disk-like item when fully inserted into said internal slot.
 2. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined material is a resilient rubber-like substance.
 3. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said arms are substantially rigid and encased in a resilient covering increasing in thickness at distal ends of said short arms.
 4. The device, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined material is a flexible cured silicone caulking compound.
 5. The device, according to claim 1, wherein a clip arm is disposed on one outer surface of said planar body.
 6. The device, according to claim 5, wherein said clip arm is connected to a torsion spring at a pivot point attached said outer surface.
 7. The device, according to claim 5, wherein said clip arm is a semi-rigid wavy strip flexible at a point of attachment and having a convex section tangentially contacting said outer surface prior to being actively engaged.
 8. A combination golfing divot-repair and ball marker retaining device comprising: a) a substantially rigid and substantially flat central body portion tapered toward a narrow first end opposite a wide second end; b) a pair of substantially rigid tapered prongs extending from said narrow first end of said central body portion and constituting about half an overall length of said divot-repair and ball marker retaining device; c) a C-shaped recess at said wide second end, said C-shaped recess forming a pair of peripheral arms; d) a semicircular slot formed within said C-shaped recess, said semicircular slot adapted to receive peripheral edges of said ball marker; and e) zones of resilient material adhered to a portion of free ends of said peripheral arms.
 9. The combination golfing divot-repair and ball marker retaining device, according to claim 8, wherein said zones of resilient material are cured drops of a silicone caulking compound in said slot at said free ends of said peripheral arms.
 10. The combination golfing divot-repair and ball marker retaining device, according to claim 8, wherein said zones of resilient material are caps of a cured polymeric elastomer adhered to and encasing about one to three centimeters of distal ends of said peripheral arms. 